The impact resulting during the chain-sprocket meshing phenomena has long been recognized as a dominant noise source associated with automotive engine chain drive systems and this impact occurs as the chain links leave the span and collide with the sprocket teeth during engagement. An inverted tooth chain structured for inside flank engagement will begin the meshing cycle with a sprocket tooth at the instant of initial meshing contact as the leading inside flanks of a link row impact with the engaging flank of the tooth and it ends at the instant of outside flank meshing impact with the same tooth as the forward link row articulates into its chordal seated position in the sprocket wrap. The sprocket tooth meshing cycle will therefore involve adjacent link rows and the cycle begins at the initial meshing contact angle θ and it ends at the full meshing engagement contact angle φ. The initial inside flank chain-sprocket meshing impact is the major noise contributor during the meshing phenomena with the secondary meshing impact during the transition to outside flank meshing also contributing to the overall noise level, albeit to a lesser degree. The meshing impacts are repeated with a frequency generally equal to that of the frequency of the chain meshing with the sprocket. It is known that chain drive noise levels can be effectively reduced by modulating the meshing frequency and this can be achieved in various ways—but always by altering the rhythm of the chain-sprocket meshing impacts.